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Showing posts from February, 2019

Gypsy, female Gorilla, holding her first newborn at French zoological park Saint-Martin-la-Plaine

Historically, 8 babies have been born at the French zoological park Saint-Martin-la-Plaine. As of February 20,2019, there are 11 gorillas in Saint-Martin. Gestation for a gorilla is 8.5 months. gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/female-gorilla-gypsy-holds-her-four-weeks-old-first-baby-on-news-photo/1126231301 espace-zoologique.com/mammiferes/gorille-des-plaines.html Photo shows Gypsy, a female gorilla, holding her first newborn at a French zoological park. https://t.co/24WED9ZWiB pic.twitter.com/nne5uLDcil — ABC News (@ABC) February 20, 2019

Digital Research Firm eMarketer Forecasts Digital Ad Spending Will Pass Non-Digital in 2019

Digital Research Firm eMarketer says advertisers will spend $129.34 billion on digital ads vs. 109.48 billion on traditional advertising (television, magazines and newspapers). The top three digital ad platforms in rank order are Google, Facebook, and Amazon. More on the forecast from Forbes … forbes.com/sites/tonifitzgerald/2019/02/20/major-milestone-digital-ad-spending-will-pass-non-digital-this-year/

Mueller Russia Investigation Report Could Be Released Next Week

Attorney General Bill Barr is preparing to announce the completion of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia two-year investigation — possibly as early as next week. Attorney General Bill Barr has said that he wants to be as "transparent" as possible with Congress and the public, and "consistent with the rules and the law." This is Barr's second round as AG. Barr previously served for the George H. W. Bush administration from 1991 to 1993, and served for the Trump administration beginning in 2019. cnn.com/2019/02/20/politics/special-counsel-conclusion-announcement/index.html

Covington Catholic High School Student Nick Sandmann Suing The Washington Post for $250 Million

The Nicholas Sandmann lawsuit claims that the Washington Post "engaged in a modern-day form of McCarthyism by competing with CNN and NBC, among others, to claim leadership of a mainstream and social media mob of bullies which attacked, vilified, and threatened Nicholas Sandmann ("Nicholas"), an innocent secondary school child." Attorneys also claim that "in targeting and bullying Nicholas by falsely accusing him of instigating the January 18 incident, the Post conveyed that Nicholas engaged in acts of racism by 'swarming' Phillips, 'blocking' his exit away from the students, and otherwise engaging in racist misconduct." arlingtoncardinal.com/2019/02/attorneys-for-family-of-covington-catholic-high-school-student-nicholas-sandmann-suing-the-washington-post-for-250-million/

Remains found of boy missing since September 2017; may have witnessed murder in Sarasota, Florida

Jabez Spann was 14 when he disappeared on Sept. 4, 2017, in Sarasota, Florida. A week earlier, another witness allegedly saw Spann at a fatal shooting scene. Spann's remains were found along a fence line west of Interstate 75 in a rural Manatee County (north and northeast of Sarasota County) on Saturday afternoon, February 16, 2019. abcnews.go.com/US/remains-found-missing-teen-witnessed-murder-florida-police/story?id=61182855 heraldtribune.com/news/20190219/body-of-sarasota-teenager-jabez-spann-missing-since-2017-found

Delta Air Lines Milwaukee-Atlanta flight makes emergency landing in Chattanooga Tuesday afternoon

Delta Air Lines Flight 2050 was forced to declare an emergency and make an unscheduled landing at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport at 3:38 p.m. after an apparent lightning strike. Following a safe landing, 164 passengers were transferred to another plane. abcnews.go.com/US/delta-air-lines-flight-declares-emergency-apparent-lightning/story?id=61182953

Two Deep-Sea Oarfish, Believed to Harbingers of Earthquakes and Tsunamis Found in Fishermen’s Nets Near Okinawa

The two oarfish, about 3.6 meters (12 feet) and 4 meters (13 feet) long, were found off the island's southwest Toya port on January 28, 2019. Traditionally known as "Ryugu no tsukai" in Japanese, or the "Messenger from the Sea God's Palace," and are associated with an ancient legend that oarfish beach themselves on shores before underwater earthquakes occur. edition.cnn.com/2019/02/19/asia/okinawa-living-oarfish-intl-trnd/index.html

ISIS bride from Great Britain is stripped of her citizenship while waiting in Syrian camp

Shamima Begum, age 19, who gave birth to a baby boy on Sunday, February 17, 2019 has been stripped of her citizenship in Great Britain, according to a letter from Great Britain's Home Office in Liverpool. While waiting in a camp in Syria, she might try using her marriage to Dutch jihadi Yago Riedijk, who faces possible prison in Holland, as a means to gain citizenship in Holland. thesun.co.uk/news/8466675/shamima-begum-isis-british-citizenship-revoked-unjust/

Britain’s Met police tripled their spending on plastic bullets in a year; anticipating possible Brexit-related unrest

Growing fear of civil unrest if there is no Brexit deal, there has been spike in spending on plastic bullets, officially known as attenuating energy projectiles (AEPs). The plastic bullets were used during two public disorder incidents by police (PSNI) in Northern Ireland in 2018, but have never been used by police or military in Great Britain for civil unrest on the streets. theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/feb/19/met-police-spending-on-plastic-bullets-triples-in-a-year

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro rejecting aid from countries that recognize Juan Guaidó as the interim president

While embattled President Nicolás Maduro calls the aid operation for the citizens of Venezuela a US-orchestrated show, Brazil says it will send humanitarian aid to its border with Venezuela by this weekend. Brazil and the United States and many other countries recognize   Juan Guaidó as the interim president. While Maduro is rejecting aid from any of these countries he is accepting and aid shipment from Russia Wednesday, February 20, 2019. bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-47300962

Fake Milk Made by Yeast with DNA Programmed to Make the Same Proteins Available in Cow’s Milk Coming Soon?

Silicon Valley-based Perfect Day Foods that creates a synthetic milk alternative says its animal-free milk is better for the environment and healthier than cow's milk because it's lactose-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, gluten-free and cholesterol-free.   The new competition could cause a further decline among dairy farmers. In 1970 there were nearly 650,000 dairy farms in the U.S., but just 40,219 remained at the end of 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. nbcnews.com/business/business-news/fake-milk-real-news-synthetic-alternatives-threaten-traditional-dairy-farms-n973236?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

40% of doctors surveyed in 2019 Medscape report said that they feel long-term, unresolvable job stress — Don’t call it ‘burnout’

In 2018, a medical student and a resident at NYU medical school killed themselves within just five days of each other, following suicides by a another medical student, a resident and a physician. All of these suicidal victims were affiliated with Mount Sinai, between 2016 and 2018.   "I always jokingly tell patients who see me looking at my screen more than them, 'Welp, I'm just a well-trained monkey that clicks buttons,' " says Hawkins Mecham about the computer work. "I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on my education, and I'm reduced to clicking buttons and staring at computer screens for hours on end." As a medical student, Hawkins Mecham attempted suicide in 2014. nypost.com/2019/02/19/a-burnout-epidemic-is-hurting-doctors-and-their-patients/

Bernie Sanders announces entrance to 2020 presidential race on Vermont Public Radio

"Together, you and I and our 2016 campaign began the political revolution. Now, it is time to complete that revolution and implement the vision that we fought for," Bernie Sanders said in an email to supporters and a announcement. Sanders broke the news early Tuesday on Vermont Public Radio. Early polls put Sanders in the lead, but trailing former Vice President Joe Biden. nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/bernie-sanders-enters-2020-presidential-race-complete-revolution-n972906 vpr.org/post/hes-2020-bernie-sanders-running-president-again

Hoda Muthana, Who Joined ISIS in 2014, Asks to Return to United States

After her first husband was killed in Kobanî, her second husband was killed in Mosul, and Hoda Muthana was captured by Kurdish forces, she claims she went too hard into her religion while fleeing her strict, restrictive parents in Alabama. Muthana was captured after she fled the last pocket of land controlled by Islamic State. From a al-Hawl refugee camp in northern Syria, she claims she "deeply regrets" traveling to Syria to join the terror group and has pleaded to be allowed to return to her family in Alabama. theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/17/us-woman-hoda-muthana-deeply-regrets-joining-isis-and-wants-return-home

Apple Looks to Future Beyond iPhone; Changes Executive Roster

Apple is shaking up executive leadership and reordering priorities across its services, artificial intelligence, hardware and retail divisions to reduce the company's reliance on iPhone sales. Apple iPhone still contributes to about two-thirds of Apple sales. morningstar.com/news/dow-jones/TDJNDN_20190219944/apples-executive-shakeup-underscores-focus-on-future-wsj.html

Parents of Missing Colorado Mom Claim Motive for Fiancé Patrick Frazee Is Connected to Custody Dispute

Police believe Patrick Frazee murdered Kelsey Berreth at her home, but they have not determined a motive and her body still has not been found. Frazee is currently in jail without bail, but Berreth's parents claim Frazee had motive because he didn't get custody of their daughter. Kelsey Berreth, age 29, was last seen at a Colorado supermarket on surveillance video with her daughter on Thursday morning November 22, 2018. cbsnews.com/news/kelsey-berreth-missing-parents-claim-patrick-frazee-motive-custody-dispute/

Auto Shop Owner Near Shot and Killed at His Business Near Lakeland Linder International Airport

Lakeland Police investigating the shooting death of auto repair shop owner Steven Schelmety late Friday February 14, 2019. The shooting occurred at the victim's business, Artillery motorsport on Century Blvd near Lakeland Linder International Airport, where the garage door was sprayed with shots. baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2019/02/17/lakeland-police-death-investigation-steven-schelmety wtsp.com/video/news/lakeland-auto-shop-owner-shot-to-death-and-the-killers-are-still-at-large

HPD: Houston police officer criminally lied in search warrant leading to drug raid that left 2 people dead, 5 officers hurt

A Houston police officer will "more than likely be charged with a serious crime" after being accused of lying in a search warrant affidavit for a January 28, 2019 drug raid in which two people were killed and five officers injured. Officer Gerald Goines will be relieved of duty when released from the hospital, according to HPD Chief Art Acevedo. cnn.com/2019/02/18/us/officer-charged-deadly-houston-raid/index.html

Las Vegas Gets Snow Twice in February 2019 | The Weather Channel

Residents of Las Vegas saw snow on Sunday night February 17, 2019 for the second time this month and the third time overall this winter.   About 1 inch of snow fell in Henderson, Nevada (3000 ft). Previous snow reports involved a trace of snow on December 25, 2015 and 3.6 inches on December 17, 2008. weather.com/news/weather/news/2019-02-18-snow-las-vegas-nevada-february

Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein expected to leave Justice Department in mid-March | CNN

A Justice official, who confirmed Rosenstein's exit plans, disputed the idea that the timing of his departure has anything to do with the latest revelations from former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe on 60 Minutes. cnn.com/2019/02/18/politics/rod-rosenstein-mid-march/index.html

Robot Harv Is Meeting the Demand of Worker Shortage; Not Replacing Workers that Harvest Fruits and Vegetables

The future of agricultural work is developing in Florida, striving to ease labor shortages and reduce the cost of food. Harv, a nickname for the latest model from automation company Harvest CROO Robotics is programmed to do the work of 30 people while attempting to harvest vegetables and fruits with care (without damaging and bruising). "If we don't solve this with automation, fresh fruits and veggies won't be affordable or even available to the average person." — Gary Wishnatzki, a third-generation strawberry farmer nola.com/homegarden/2019/02/how-do-big-farmers-hope-to-pick-the-next-crop-carefully-but-with-robots.html washingtonpost.com/news/national/wp/2019/02/17/feature/inside-the-race-to-replace-farmworkers-with-robots/

Why Does the MSM Keep Falling for Obvious Hoaxes? Or Is MSM Really “Falling For Hoaxes?”

An opinion piece on PJ Media reporting …There's been much commentary in the past few days about the MSM's lack of critical thinking skills in covering not only the Jussie Smollett "hate crime" fairy tale, but a number of other bogus stories as well. With loaded opinion statement … "If there was a "national outrage" over the dubious incident, it was limited to gullible left-wing journalists, celebrities, politicians and activists." However, Tucker Carlson reports that the initial reaction to the Jussie Smollett incident represents power groups stoking race hatred to maintain power by forever opening wounds related to identity politics . Note: MEDIA BIAS/FACT CHECK says about PJ Media, "These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward conservative causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. " pjmedia.com/trending/why-does-the-msm-keep-falling-for-obvious-hoaxes/

Trump accuses Rod Rosenstein, McCabe of pursuing ‘illegal and treasonous’ plot against presidency after airing of 60 Minutes/McCabe

Trump accuses Rod Rosenstein, McCabe of pursuing 'illegal and treasonous' plot against presidency after airing of 60 Minutes/McCabe Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said he "never actually considered taking [Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein] up on the offer" of having Rosenstein wear a wire. McCabe said he   discussed the matter with the FBI's then-general counsel, James A. Baker, who rejected the proposal as too extreme.   The 60 Minutes interview broadcast 2 day before McCabe's book "The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump" is scheduled for release on February 19, 2019. foxnews.com/politics/trump-accuses-rosenstein-mccabe-of-pursuing-illegal-and-treasonous-plot-against-presidency

Teacher Killed in Animal Attack in Beaufort County North Carolina, But the Animal Type Is Not Initially Identified

Beaufort County Sheriff's Communications received a 911 call at 5:47 a.m. Friday February 15, 2019 reporting an animal attack on Indian Run Road in Pantego.   Beaufort County EMS and Paramedics arrived to find 77 year-old Brenda Hamilton of Pantego suffering from severe injuries as a result of the attack. Paramedics transported Brenda Hamilton to Vidant Pitt Hospital. Hamilton, a teacher at Pungo Christian Academy, died following the injuries, but the date of her death was not initially available. DNA testing ruled out any wild animals involved in the attack, and are investigating whether any domestic dogs may have attacked Brenda Hamilton. The attack was apparently not witnessed. The area where Hamilton was attacked is an isolated rural area about 40 miles east of Greenville, North Carolina. charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article226423575.html beaufortcountysheriff.org/2019/02/17/animal-attack/ Teacher Killed in Animal Attack in Beaufort County North Car

Andrew McCabe Interview on 60 Minutes: Spoke about Rosenstein’s Proposal to Secretly Record Trump

Former Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe's interview on 60 Minutes about taking over for James Comey, starting investigations of President Trump, interactions with the president and his own firing was broadcast on Sunday February 17, 2019. McCabe told 60 Minutes that law enforcement officials discussed whether to secretly record a conversation with President Trump, and whether he could be removed from office by invoking the 25th Amendment.   Andrew McCabe: I can't describe to you accurately enough the pressure and the chaos that Rod (Rosenstein) and I were trying to operate under at that time. It was incredibly turbulent, incredibly stressful. And it was clear to me that that stress was— was impacting the deputy attorney general. We talked about why the president had insisted on firing the director and whether or not he was thinking about the Russia investigation and did that impact his decision. And in the context of that conversation, the deputy attorney general offered

British Members of Parliament: Social media sites should face compulsory ethics code | Daily Mail

British Members of Parliament warned that democracy is at risk from the "malicious and relentless" targeting of citizens with disinformation and adverts from unidentifiable sources, as they called for reform to electoral communication laws. "Companies like Facebook should not be allowed to behave like 'digital gangsters' in the online world, considering themselves to be ahead of and beyond the law." Mark Zuckerberg accused of showing "contempt" towards the The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee by choosing not to appear before it in 2018. dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-6715499/Social-media-sites-face-compulsory-ethics-code-MPs-say.html

Denny Hamlin #11 Wins Daytona 500 | Daytona Beach News-Journal

Hamlin wins another Daytona 500 victory. Denny Hamlin won the 61st Daytona 500 on February 17, 2019 in an overtime "shootout."   news-journalonline.com/sports/20190217/denny-hamlin-wins-daytona-500

Berkshire Hathaway’s Charlie Munger says California, Connecticut have been 'stupid' for driving out rich people | CNBC

Warren Buffett's right-hand man says Connecticut and California have driven out a lot of rich people. "I think it's really stupid for a state to drive the rich people out. "They are old, they keep your hospitals busy, they don't burden your schools, police departments or prisons." Recently, some lawmakers have been pushing for higher taxes on the wealthy, especially Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. , who has proposed a 70 percent marginal tax on incomes over $10 million in an effort to diminish the growing wealth gap. cnbc.com/2019/02/15/charlie-munger-says-california-connecticut-have-been-stupid-for-driving-rich-people-away.html

Exposing sexually abusive nuns may be “the next big thing” in the Catholic Church | New York Post

After Pope Francis recently disclosed that some nuns were abused by priests and even used as sex slaves, dozens of Catholics have come forward to report sexual abuse by nuns. "This is the next big thing for the church — the biggest untold secret (sexual abuse by nuns)," said Mary Dispenza, a director at Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) in St. Louis. nypost.com/2019/02/16/inside-the-horrifying-unspoken-world-of-sexually-abusive-nuns/

Disgraced Former Congressman Anthony Weiner Out of Prison, but Still in Federal Custody | TMZ

Weiner started serving his 21-month prison sentence in November 2017 at the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts after pleading guilty to sexting with a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. His wife Huma Abedin (divorce proceedings pending) was a top aide to then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. tmz.com/2019/02/17/anthony-weiner-out-of-prison-early-pre-release-sexting-minor/ DIVORCE COURT … huffingtonpost.com/entry/anthony-weiner-huma-abedin-divorce-court_us_59b96a14e4b086432b03a05c

Inside Olivia Newton-John's Heartbreaking Battle With Cancer | Country Living

Olivia Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992; the cancer returned in 2013 and in 2017. Olivia Newton John opened the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, a public hospital in Australia in 2014. The research center has 200 clinical trials underway. countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a26362270/olivia-newton-john-cancer/

Colin Kaepernick settles collusion case with NFL — Details Not Disclosed | Mashable

Colin Kaepernick argued NFL and teams colluded to keep him off the field; NFL denied. NFL: For the past several months, counsel for Mr. Kaepernick and Mr. Reid have engaged in an ongoing dialogue with representatives of the NFL. As a result of those discussions, the parties have decided to resolve the pending grievances. The resolution of this matter is subject to a confidentiality agreement so there will be no further comment by any party. News and Opinion Website Vox: Settlement doesn't force the NFL to sign either player to a team (Reid currently plays for the Panthers) but NFL Player Association rules could get Kaepernick a "financial award amounting to roughly double what he would have made if he had stayed in the league." mashable.com/article/colin-kaepernick-settles-with-nfl/ (Mashable - left-leaning website) vox.com/identities/2018/9/6/17820158/colin-kaepernick-eric-reid-collusion-grievance-protest-settlement (Vox - left-leaning website)

Fake National Emergency protests planned across US on Presidents Day in response to Trump's national emergency for border wall | The Hill

Demonstrations have been planned by liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org : "We are mobilizing nonviolent rapid-response events to stand up against Trump's "Fake National Emergency" to defend our democracy and immigrant, Muslim, black, and brown communities from Trump's dangerous national emergency power grab," the group continues. thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/430365-protests-planned-across-us-on-presidents-day-in-response-to

Active Shooter Aurora: Police Explain Officers’ Injuries, Victims, Shooter Information, Gun Used, Police Resources Used and Timeline | Cardinal News

Five employees shot and killed, one employee shot and wounded, five police officers shot, shooter shot and killed by police. One police officer injured, not by gunshot.  The shooter was being fired at a termination meeting when he reported for work and opened fire at the termination. People at the meeting are believed to be the five people that are deceased. It is initially believed that three deceased victims were shot in the termination meeting, and two of the deceased victims were shot just outside the termination meeting. Arlingtoncardinal.com/2019/02/active-shooter-aurora-police-explain-officers-injuries-victims-shooter-information-gun-used-police-resources-used-and-timeline/

Islamic State 'decimated' and down to last mile of territory, says US Vice President Mike Pence | Sky

A commander with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they were fighting IS militants in one small part of the eastern Syrian village of Baghuz in Deir el-Zour province, near the Iraqi border. In 2014, the Islamic State "death cult" controlled nearly one-third of Iraq and Syria. https://news.sky.com/story/is-decimated-and-down-to-last-mile-of-territory-says-us-vice-president-mike-pence-11638984

Payless ShoeSource is closing all of remaining 2100 U.S., Puerto Rico stores | CBS News

All 2100 Payless ShoeSource stores in the United States are closing, but will remain open until at least the end of March 2019, while the majority of stores will remain open until May 2019. Liquidation doesn't affect its franchise operations or its Latin American stores, which remain open. cbsnews.com/news/payless-shoesource-is-closing-all-of-its-2100-remaining-u-s-stores/

Rope found around Jussie Smollett's neck purchased by 2 brothers: “Sources” | ABC News

Rope found around Jussie Smollett's neck purchased by 2 brothers: "Sources" | ABC News Brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo of Nigeria agreed to cooperate with authorities after detectives confronted them with evidence that they bought the rope -- allegedly used in an attack of Jussie Smollett.   During the alleged attack, Smollett was on the phone with Brandon Moore, his music manager. Smollet and Moore claim that the alleged attackers yelled "MAGA country" — the campaign slogan used by President Donald J. Trump. abcnews.go.com/US/information-jussie-smollett-investigation-change-story-police/story?id=61117628

Trump's emergency declaration facing legal challenges one day later | CBS News

Trump's declaration said the "current situation at the southern border presents a border security and humanitarian crisis that threatens core national security interests and constitutes a national emergency." Soon the ACLU, Public Citizen watchdog group, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced lawsuits. cbsnews.com/news/national-emergency-declaration-already-facing-legal-challenges-trump-2019-02-16/

Men Who Can Do 40 Push-Ups in One Try Have a 96% Reduced Risk of Developing Heart Disease Compared to Men Who Can Only Do 10

Researchers say their report is the first to show push-up capacity is linked to heart disease.  "Our findings provide evidence that push-up capacity could be an easy, no-cost method to help assess cardiovascular disease risk in almost any setting," says the study's first author, Justin Yang, an occupational medicine resident at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. studyfinds.org/men-more-than-40-push-ups-heart-disease/

Winter storm in Hawaii has produced strong winds, high surf, and possibly first time ever snow in Maui

Winter storm in Hawaii has produced strong winds, high surf, and possibly first time ever snow snow falling at the Polipoli State Park in Maui. "For perhaps the first time ever, snow has fallen in a Hawai'i State Park. Polipoli State Park on Maui is blanketed with snow. It could be the lowest elevant (sic?) snow ever recorded in the state. Polipoli is at 6,200 feet elevation," according to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Orange alligators marinated in rust in Bluffton, South Carolina | CNN

David Lucas of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources says the rusty color could be from rust in draining pipes, where alligators may have hibernated nearby. cnn.com/2019/02/15/us/orange-alligators-rust-trnd/index.html

AMAZON KILLERS: Shame on these so-called progressives for rejecting 25,000 high paying jobs & billions in taxes | Daily News

Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins emblazoned notoriously across New York's Daily News front page. So-called progressives just killed 25,000 to 40,000 high-quality jobs coming to New York City and prevented up to $27.5 billion in New York tax revenue over 25 years from being realized. Daily News says opposition to Amazon originated because it "wouldn't stay silent during a Staten Island fulfillment center organizing drive," and "might have a contract with ICE." nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-the-job-killers-won-20190214-story.html

Chicago Police investigating whether Jussie Smollett staged attack with help of 2 men | ABC7 Chicago

Chicago police sources   investigating whether "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett   and two men staged an attack allegedly because Smollett was being written off of "Empire". One of the men has appeared on "Empire." Police told ABC News, "Police are investigating whether the two individuals committed the attack - or whether the attack happened at all" … but Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson contacted ABC7 Chicago to say they are continuing to treat Smollett as a victim and the investigation remains ongoing. abc7chicago.com/sources-smollett-staged-attack-with-help-of-others-allegedly-being-written-off-empire/5138497/

More Store Closings According to Coresight Research | USA Today

According to a global market research firm Coresight Research report, U.S. retailers have announced 2,187 closings, up 23 percent compared to last year. Those closings include 749 Gymboree stores, 251 Shopko stores and 94 Charlotte Russe locations.   usatoday.com/story/money/2019/02/13/more-store-closures-expected-2019-new-report/2865505002/

Retail sales drop of 1.2% in December 2018 is worst drop in 9 years | MarketWatch

Retail sales in December 2018 dropped in every category except automobile dealers and home centers — the worst drop since September 2009. Macy's, Kohl's and Nordstrom reported disappointing sales. Surprisingly, there was a a 3.9% drop in Internet sales. marketwatch.com/story/retail-sales-sink-12-in-december-to-mark-biggest-drop-since-2009-as-holiday-season-fizzles-out-2019-02-14

The Newseum was a grand tribute to the power of journalism. Here’s how it failed | The Washington Post

The Newseum news museum is scheduled  to close to the public in January 2020. Aspiring to strive for a share of the millions who visited the Smithsonian's Air and Space and Natural History museums — which had average annual attendance of 7.4 million and 5.3 million in the early 2000s — the Newseum only reach 855,000 visitors during its best year in 2017. "We plan to continue the Newseum's crucial work of increasing public understanding of the importance of a free press and the First Amendment for decades to come — through digital outreach, traveling exhibits, and web-based programs in schools around the world, as well as hopefully in a new physical home in the area," Maeve Gaynor Scott, the Newseum's director of collections. washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/the-newseum-was-a-grand-tribute-to-the-power-of-journalism-heres-how-it-failed/2019/02/01/aeeb2482-25a4-11e9-81fd-b7b05d5bed90_story.html

Veterinarian who smuggled liquid heroin in packets in the bellies of puppies sentenced to 6 years in prison | NBC News

Andres Lopez Elorez, 39, pled guilty in September 2018 to a single charge of conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the U.S. after he was arrested by US Marshals in Spain in March 2015. Liquid heroin was stored in the dogs' bellies and removed, which caused the death of most of the puppies. However, one Rottweiler named Heroina, survived and became a drug-sniffing police dog in Colombia. nbcnews.com/news/us-news/veterinarian-who-smuggled-heroin-puppies-sentenced-6-years-prison-n968911

Facing opposition from politicians, Amazon reconsiders NY headquarters site, two officials say | Washington Post

Amazon executives have had internal discussions recently to reassess the situation in New York and explore alternatives to the proposed campus in New York City because of opposition from local politicians. Key officials, including freshman U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), whose district borders the proposed Amazon site, have rallied against the project, according The Washington Post. Opponents worried about displacement of residents and rising rent, as was experienced in Seattle. washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/facing-opposition-amazon-reconsiders-ny-headquarters-site-two-officials-say/2019/02/08/451ffc52-2a19-11e9-b011-d8500644dc98_story.html

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says Trump SOTU speech marked an unsettling night for our county; Noonan says AOC looked sullen and teenaged

Ocasio-Cortez said Wednesday afternoon that her anti-Trump attitude won't be changing soon. "And good natured with the white jackets, who I see some on twitter are calling the straight jackets. AOC had a rare bad night, looking not spirited, warm and original as usual but sullen, teenaged and at a loss," tweeted Noonan, who was President Ronald Reagan's speechwriter. "Why should I be 'spirited and warm' for this embarrassment of a #SOTU?," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on her Twitter. nypost.com/2019/02/06/ocasio-cortez-is-not-apologizing-for-her-state-of-the-union-reaction/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria_Ocasio-Cortez

Virginia Implodes: Thrown into chaos over blackface, sexual assault scandals involving Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General | New York Post

As Gov. Ralph Northam's job is already in jeopardy for a racist blackface incident,   Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who is first in line to replace him, is embroiled in a sex scandal, and the attorney general who is second in line to replace him is also in trouble for dressing up as a black rapper when he was a student at the University of Virginia. nypost.com/2019/02/06/blackface-sex-assault-claim-throws-virginia-government-into-chaos/

Don’t use WhatsApp or WeChat when you’re in China, University of California, Davis tells students | South China Morning Post

The University of California, Davis has circulated a China travel warning via email to some of its students, advising them not to use messaging apps like WhatsApp or WeChat or make "unfavourable political statements or postings on social media" while there. The email reads: "While the use of What'sApp [sic], WeChat and like messaging apps is legal in China, we have seen in the latest espionage charge of a US citizen in Russia where the use of What'sApp [sic] has been cited in his espionage charges. SEE MORE … www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2181397/dont-use-whatsapp-or-wechat-when-youre-china-university

Jogger Attacked by Cougar in Colorado, Chokes and Kills It with His Bare Hands | Cardinal News

A male jogger, who was running by himself Monday, February 4, 2019 on the West Ridge Trail in the Horsetooth Mountain Open Space southwest of Fort Collins, Colorado, was attacked by a mountain lion (cougar). He not only survived the attack, but killed the cougar with his bare hands by choking the animal. arlingtoncardinal.com/2019/02/jogger-attacked-by-cougar-in-colorado-chokes-and-kills-it-with-his-bare-hands/